GBIF is a leader in the development of standards and applications for the publication, exchange and use of taxonomic and nomenclatural information through the Global Names Architecture. We work with other initiatives to promote and support the use of authoritative taxonomic information within biodiversity informatics and contribute toward the goal of common infrastructure that ensures taxonomists are recognised for their essential contributions to this effort. Our efforts in this area include: 

• Presentations – and events on GBIF work in the Global Names Architecture
• Workshops – list of ‘Nomina’ workshops hosted or facilitated by GBIF regarding the Global Names Architecture
• GBIF support of taxonomy – GBIF has directly supported taxonomic development through funding of Seed Funds and direct project development.

As well, GBIF collaborates with initiatives that focus on names and taxa, including:

• Catalogue of Life Partnership – GBIF has provided over $US1.3 million to this organisation and its supporting databases.
• Global Names Usage Bank – Nomina workshops led to the funding of a prototype implementation of a common virtual nomenclatural database known as the Global Names Usage Bank (GNUB). This system currently serves as a common core for zoological names (ZooBank) and botanical names (Index Fungorum).
• GBIF and the Encyclopedia of Life partnered to develop common approaches to accessing, using and acknowledging sources of taxonomic and nomenclatural content through the development of the Global Names Architecture.
• European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT) – GBIF is working with EDIT Work Package 6 in the development of Global Names Architecture publishing through the Taxonomic Scratchpads and is using them as the base for the GBIF vocabulary server.
• GBIF is working with uBio to extend the functionality of NameBank and ClassificationBank.
• GBIF and PESI are working together on the Global Names Architecture development, including the implementation of the PESI taxonomic backbone as an authoritative reference for Europe, common strategies on connecting Europe-based nomenclators to GNA, a shared approach on the management and development of relevant standards and ontologies, and a joint program on data validation.